Bill Text: HI HCR168 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended

Bill Title: Urging The Convening Of A Task Force To Evaluate And Identify Potential Sources And Means Of Funding Available To Provide Support For And Help Maintain The Hawaii Wildlife Center Facility And Hawaii's Endangered Wildlife.

URGING THE CONVENING OF
A TASK FORCE TO EVALUATE AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOURCES AND MEANS OF FUNDING
AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR AND HELP MAINTAIN THE HAWAII WILDLIFE CENTER
FACILITY AND HAWAII'S ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.

WHEREAS,
Hawaii has the largest concentration of endangered and threatened species in
the world, a majority of which are birds; and

WHEREAS, more
than two-thirds of the various types of endemic Hawaiian birds are already
extinct and over eighty percent of the remaining types are threatened with
extinction; and

WHEREAS, oil-
and fuel-related spills affecting Hawaii's native wildlife have occurred in the
past and will occur in the future; and

WHEREAS,
oiled wildlife response is a critical public service that requires extensive
experience, wildlife rehabilitation permits, and the appropriate hazardous
materials safety training and certification; and

WHEREAS,
successful emergency responses to oil- or fuel-related disasters require a
facility that provides efficient and state-of-the-art wildlife care; controls,
handles, and tracks animals and hazardous waste; and ensures the safety of
everyone working with oiled wildlife; and

WHEREAS,
successful emergency responses to wildlife affected by oil- or fuel-related
disasters rely on the availability of facilities, systems, and protocols that
are already in place, so response can begin immediately after an event occurs;
and

WHEREAS,
without a response facility in place, public safety would be compromised due to
potential exposure to hazardous petroleum products because of improper handling
of affected wildlife; and

WHEREAS,
without a response facility in place, Hawaii's native wildlife would suffer and
accidents affecting them would result in a higher mortality rate; and

WHEREAS, the
Hawaii Wildlife Center already serves as a critical emergency response facility
for the training of response personnel and volunteers, and for the
rehabilitation of injured, sick, and contaminated wildlife throughout the
Pacific Islands region; and

WHEREAS, the
Hawaii Wildlife Center is the only native wildlife emergency response and
rehabilitation facility in the State and in the Pacific Islands region that
meets all federal and state standards for accommodating large-scale rescue and
rehabilitation efforts targeting sick, injured, or oiled wildlife; and

WHEREAS, the
Legislature finds that the Hawaii Wildlife Center provides a critical public
service that serves the purpose of protecting the public and Hawaii's
vulnerable endangered wildlife; and

WHEREAS, the
Hawaii Wildlife Center facility provides a critical public service to the State
of Hawaii but does not receive any operational funding assistance from the
State or federal government; now, therefore,

BE IT
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirtieth Legislature of the
State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2019, the Senate concurring, that the
Department of Health is requested to convene a task force to evaluate and identify
potential sources and means of funding available to support and help maintain
the Hawaii Wildlife Center facility to provide a critical public service of
protecting the public and Hawaii's endangered wildlife; and

BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the Director of Health, or the Director's designee, and the
Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, or the Chairperson's
designee, are requested to serve as the co-chairs of the task force, and that
the task force also be composed of:

(1)One member to be appointed by the President of
the Senate;

(2)One member to be appointed by the Speaker of
the House of Representatives;

(3)One member representing the Hawaii Wildlife
Center;

(4)The State On-Scene Coordinator of the
Department of Health's Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office;

(5)The Wildlife Program Manager of the Department
of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife;

(6)The Commander of the United States Coast Guard
Sector Honolulu; and

(7)A contaminant biologist from the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service; and

BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the task force is requested to evaluate the appropriate level of
funding and the potential use of the environmental response revolving fund
established under section 128D-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to help maintain the
Hawaii Wildlife Center facility; and

BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the task force is requested to also consider grant-in-aid funding
pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as an additional funding
source for the Hawaii Wildlife Center;
and

BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings
and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no
later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2020;
and

BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Director of Health, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Deputy
Director for Environmental Health Administration, Administrator of the Department
of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Commander of
the United States Coast Guard District 14, Director of the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service, and President and Center Director of the Hawaii Wildlife
Center.